Metal fabricating machine



` April 18, 1933. J. l.. ADAMS, JR 1,904,913

, METAL FABRICATING MACHINE FiledJan. 6, 1928 4 sheets-sheet l I N VEN TOR.

April 18, 1933. J. ADAMS. JR

METAL FABRICATING MACHINE Filed Jan. 6, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

April 18, 1933- J, L. ADAMS, JR 1,904,913

METAL FABRICATING MACHINE Filed Jan. 6, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 1s, 1933.

`J. L. ADAMS, JR

METAL FABRICATING MACHINE Filed Jan. 6, 1928 4 sneetsfshee; 4

INVLNTOR Patented Apr. 18, 1933 FMIS LUCIAN ADAMS, IR., 0F EAST CHICG, ENDINA, AESIGE'OR 0F EVENE-THEMES T GRAVEB CHYORATION, 0F EAST HIGAG, INDIANA, A CRPOMTIIT OF METAL FABBICATNG MAEENE implication led January 6, ierisl No., @liegt/i.

peri

term tubular is therefore used throughout the speciiicstion end cleirns genericeily es o, Word ci definition and not es s Word. of iirnitetion, engi includes Within its scope lioliow Vbodies or articles, regardless e psrticuier conguration thereof., ne ci tii'e elofeccs ci *'fiie present invention o Freeride ineens vviicreby the menuisea ion ci tulouler srticles ci the ter reierred to can be grestiy accelerated. the product turned out et e iovver cost than has heretofore been possible with the usuel methods ci construction is carrying' out the present invention? 'there is provided ineens for expeditiously and inexpensiveiy sssemniing a hollow metal structure irc-ru e series of individuel plates placed. in side by side reletionship and Welded or votiierf/lise secured together While in this reietionsiiip tc the desired periphm length., 'liliie individuel plete 'Width is chosen so es to give tiie lowest -totel mete riale cost.

in tice* eccompenving drawings I have shown ior @imposes of illustration only, one

, embodiment of the present invention.

in 'the drawings 2- Fignre l is e vievv ,partly in side elevetion, partly in section, and partly broken sway, end illustrating s, fabricating machine in accordance with the present'invention;

Figure 2 is en end eievation of the machine shown in Figure i; v

Figure 3 is e detail View, partly in section and partly in elevation, illustrating the adjustable bearing or one end 'of the machine;

Figure 4 is ks side eievation of one form ci product produced in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 5 is ci partiel top plan view 0f the Welding teloie illustrating tiie reillers ther in;

Figure 6 is e detail sectionei vie-vv in e sninstsntislly vertical piane iiiustriting the lioliovv outside roll sindone the inner relis on the Welding trible on opposite sides ci the ine-termi being shaped;

Figurd i is detail sectionei `View elong the line vili-Vil oi Figure d, iosiring in the direction of the arrows in accordance vvitir tile present invention, end referring more particuli@ ly to Fig ures l and 2 oi"- the drawings the pres ent9 there rney foe provided s ioificsfting machine e movable a l M u ,i9 eeviiig one oi more roii its end over i ll te be formed is edler u pass7 es iliustreted more perticulsriy in Figures i end 'ZX This teole is utiiized es eiiessemloly trible fier tiie reception oit successive new pistes P, EQ im, img im, P5? @6, sind eneloies these 'plates es placed thereon .to be sgsotwveided or' otherwise secured togeth-Y er in" side by Vside reletionship. in Figure 2 of the drevvingss the plates it and P3 ere iiiustrstec in .position to Toe secured tigt-itilQ` era the other partly Fcent to formed position., p 1

The essernioly teioie i is slidelily "iounted in si suitsioie lboese 2, positioned one side of the machine end carried by tlie pedestal 3., li desired? the tciole i end tiie 'base 2 may be mede unit lengths, edepted bto be coupled tegetiier et will to thereby very the dimensions of tiaese parts sind illus accommodate tiieni to the liendiing of sheets or pistes oi dierent sizes.

Positioned et any desired :points in the assembly telole ere holding-down magnets 2", es clecriy shown in-Figure 2, these inagnets preierebiy being so positioned that the upper thereof are substantially flush with the supporting fece of the table.

litii pistes positioned as indicated in this iigure of the drawings, the holding-down magnets src eective, when energized, or holdingv the sdjacentedges of s pair of plates in the desired position to permit the electrode 29 can be joint J between the manner that the weldin brought to bear on the plates P and P". f

Secured to the base 21 opposite the pedestal 3 is a pedestal 3f), carrying at its u per end a heavy hollow outside roller 31, asi lustrated in igures 6 and 7, mounted on a non-rotating but adjustable eccentric shaft 32, carrying a Worm wheel 33 actuated bya worm 3d through the medium of a crank 315.

Mounted over the roll 31, and having a free running fit with respect thereto, is a C-shaped shoe 37, carrying a short wedge 38 on its hand lip, as shown more particuiariy in "Tigures 6 and 7. This shoe is adapted rotated by means ef a lever 39, effective yer swinging the same into such osition that the hand lip carrying t e wedge 38 can be thrown downwardy into close contact with the entering plate. 'W ith the parts in this position, rotation of the winding disks through the mechanism described will be effective for directing the Wedge 38 into a position under the roll 31, thereby forcing down the final edge of a plate into intimate contact with the winding disks and into a position closely adjacent the stifl'ening fiange 40, hereinafter referred to, ready for the final welding operation.

After such operation is completed, a momentary reversal of the motors 5 and 105 will release the wedge 38 and permit it to be again thrown into the clear by means of the lever 39. Y

The stiiening flange 40 is preferably provided at the leading edge of the Afirst plate P only, and is for the purpose, in all cases where itis provided, of stiffening the final joint and facilitating the formation thereof.

The rotation of the roll 31 vmay be retarde/d in any desired manner, either by the .@f

provision of a suitable brake (not shown),

. or by the utilization of friction bearings in such manner as to permit the placing ofa. considerable tension on the entering plates# In yFigure 4, there is shown one form of article which may be producedl in accordance with the present invention. In this figure, the article is vindicated as having incorporated therein the two winding disks D, which in this case were in the form of dished tank heads. Three plates, P, P1, and P2 are visible. As before pointed out, however,V the size of the individual plates will be chosen with respect to cost, so as to keep the, cost of the finished article as low as possible.

In case it is desired to form an article of this character with butt welds, it will usually be found necessary to reshear each of the plates longitudinally in order to secure sufficientI joint accuracy for rapid arc welding.

If a lap weld is utilized, this preparatory expense may be obviated, but a lap weld possesses the objection not onlyof requiring more material and providing greater nonuniformity of wall thickness, but of also introducing offset difiiculties at the line of contact between the plates and the winding disks. The additional cost of taking care of this situation in many cases more than offsets the advantages resulting from the elimination of pre acter referre to.

y In forming an article in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a suppiy of plates at a convenient location and height adjacent the machine, the plates having previously been subjected to the necessary preiiminary shaping and sizing operations. The first to enter new structure. shenid prefers. 'for lthe reasons set forth, lent necessarily, he provided with stidening flange, which may be from four to six inches in Width, depending upon the size of the article to be formed, and the thickness and characteristics of the metal.. Where the flange is provided, it willi, of .j course, be trimmed at the ends as required in yorder to properly clear the windingdisks.

Having drawn over the first plate P from thepile, followed by the plate P', andhaving arranged them in proper position on the assembly table 1, they are clamped in position by the holding-down magnets 2 and then joined together in the manner described, either by a continuous Weld extending the full length of the plates, or by spot-welding, depending upon the characteristics desired in the finished product.

While the welding or other method of joining the plates is in progress, a machine operator sets the two winding disks or tank heads D, as the case may be, in proper position for the-start of a new structure. The

aratory operations of the charwinding disks having been placed in position in the magnets 6 or other holding means provided forv'that'purpose, they may be rotated through the4 mechanism provided to bring them into some predetermined, desired angular position. The pinion shift 12 may then be operated so as to adjust the bearing 8 at the left hand end of the machine in the desired position tifansversely of the base. the bearing at the opposite end of the machine being brought into the desired position lengthwise' of the base by means of the lead screw 111,'. Thereafter, the holding magnet j 6 at the left hand end of the machine may be' axially adjusted,the forward edge of the plate P is brought to proper position with respect tothe winding disks` and clamped, spot-welded, or otherwise joined thereto. This having been accomplished, the respective motors 5 and 105 are operated at relatively low speeds, if of the variable speed type, or through the lowest speed gearing provided. to effecty simultaneous rotation of the winding disks. This rotation effects a @isc feeding movement of the plates over the rolls 1 and 15 and under roll 31, the C- shaned clamp 3'? and' the wedge 38 being positioned at this time so as to clear the plates. This operation is continued until room is provided on the assembly table for the reception of a new plate P2, which is then brought into position and secured to the trailing edge of the plate I in the manner before referred to.

Upon completion of this operation, the` motors 5.and 105 are once more started to rotate the winding disks and feed the plate P2 over the rollers 1 and 15, and beneath the roller 31, in the manner before described. This operation is' then repeated as often as necessary, depending upon the number of plates required, until the forward edge of the iirst plate P has been brought around to a point close to the under side of the projectmg bearing 16 on the assembly table, at which time this table is backed away from the machine until the roller 15 clears the outer surface of the plate, whereupon the motors 5 and 105 are again started, and the winding completed. The plates are preferably so dimensioned as to allow for a slight overlap at the seam. Shortly before this winding operation is completed, the C- shaped clamp is thrown into operative position by the lever 39 so that the wedge 38 is brought into contact with the trailing portion of the last plate and advanced by the continued travel of such plate to a position under the roller 31 so that the trailing edge is forced into the desired position as before set forth. The welding head or heads 22 are nov7 swung through an angular distance of 180 degrees in order to bring the electrode of each such welder into line with the final seam so that the adjacent edges of the plates may be joined.

If the winding disks actuall comprise the tank heads or other parts to be inserted, or constitute part of the nished article, tacking on, or full length welding of the various plates to such heads, inserts, or the like, can have been progressing during the windin process, as will be apparent.

The nal seam having been welded as desired, the motors 5 and 105 are backed up a slight distance to release the wedge 38 so that the C-shaped clamp can be thrown to inoperative position by the lever 39. The roller 31 is then raised a slight distance by the crank 35, after which magnets 6 may be rie-energized and the screw 13 withdrawn by means of the hand wheel 14 until such time as the magnet f5 at the left hand end of the machine as viewed in Figure 1 is far enough back to clear the greatest projection on the winding disk At this time the pinion ,shifts 12 and 'i12 may be thrown to their slide ractuating or S position, and the motors 5 and 105 operated so as to simultaneously move the bearings at the opposite ends of the apparatus to inoperative osition and thereby permit the final with rawal of the comp eted structure from the machine.

In case the various parts have been spotwelded during the fabricating process hereinbefore described, they may be subsequently made s or water tight, or stiffened, as may be deslred, by the performance of subsequent operations thereon.

To those skilled in the art, it will be apparent that while I have herein disclosed and illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, that the drawings do not define the limits of such invention, and that changes in the construction and operation of the various parts as well as in the structural characteristics and contour of the article being fabricated may be made without departing either from the spirit of the present invention or the scope of my broader claims.

I claim:-

1. In a machine for the fabrication of tubular metal structures, an assembly tableY `effect drawing of the material, opposed roll supports between which material may bc drawn from said assembly table by said Winding means, and means for adjusting the position of said assembly table toward or from the winding means in line one with the other while maintaining the same angular relationship therebetween.

2. The combination with an assembly table, of winding means, means for rotating said winding means to draw material from said table, and magnetic holding means cooperating with said table for holding material in position thereon.

3. The combination with a table for assemblying tubular structures, of winding means including a series of axially spaced heads adapted to be incorporated in the linished structure, means for rotating' said winding means to draw material from said table, holding means cooperating with said table, and means for adjusting the position of said table toward or from said winding means.

4. In a machine of the character desc'ribed, magnetic means for holding winding disks, means for rotating said magnetic means to effect rotation of winding disks Acarried thereby, and means for erd'ecting axial adjustment of one of said magnetic means toward or from the other magnetic means.

5. In a machine of the character de scribed, magnetic means for holding winding disks, means for rotating said magnetic means to effect rotation of winding disks izo carried thereby., and means ier eiieeting amai adjustment of both ci magnetic means. l

c In a machine oi the character scribed, means for rotating a pair axilallyv spaced winding disk-s to edect the positionn ing therearound of material to be shaped welding means for forming such materiaM 'from a plurality of individual sections, and means for clamping the trailing edge of the material against the winding disks.

y 7. In a machine for the fabrication of tubular metal structures, an assembly table for receiving and supporting plates placed thereon, means cooperating with the assembly table for joining together adjacent plates on said table, winding means including spaced heads adapted to receive plates from said assembly table and adapted to be incorporated in the finished structure and around which the assembled plates are Wound, and means for rotating said winding means to effect a feeding movement of the joined plates from the assembly table around said heads.

8. In a machine for the fabrication of tubular metal structures, an assembly means including a table on which successive plates` are adapted to be placed and joined, a windmg means for withdrawing platesfrom said table and shapin the same, and clamping means for clamping the trailing end of a plate against said winding means.

9; In a machine for the fabrication of tubular metal structures, assembly means for receiving and supporting plates placed thereon, said assembly means providlng an end roller over which the plates are adapted.

Ito travel, means cooperating with the assembly means for joining together plates placed thereon, winding means cooperating with said assembly means for winding the assembled plates from the assembly means, and means for rotating said windin means to elect a feeding movement of th joined plates over said end roller from the assembly means around the windin means.

10. In a machine of t e character described, a pair of rotatable heads dllated to detachably receive a pair of win ing JAMES LUCIAN ADAMS, Jn.

discs, an assembly table disposed at one side I Y of the heads and discs, having portions adjacent said discs disposed tangentially thereof for supporting material in position laterally of the discs to be fed thereto, and means for clamping the material. willi against said discs.

il.; In `a machine 'ai the character scribed, a pair of rotatable to receive a pair ef l e 'having 'a oi oi: rotation oi e ...ma mj LA u ies-,ding inf-atelier to tu j a disirs and said r l" rn lll 

